So I Feel As If...

... I should post something about graduation.

It's ironic, though, really...  It wasn't a big deal for me.

Now, don't get me wrong...  Attaining my degree was a big deal!  It took me 15 years!  I majored in almost everything!  Finally holding that diploma in my hand felt good.  But the actual graduation...  It was just a day...

I am thankful for my family who celebrated with me and my friends who offered congratulations, in bulk, on my facebook page.  I'm glad to have a few pictures.  I can't wait until it's cool enough outside to wear my alumni sweatshirt.

And I'm ready for a new adventure...

L. 

Drenched...

I had an interview today.  It was a good interview... really good.  Even if I don't get this job... or even if I don't take this job...  it was awfully nice to sit down with interviewers who asked intelligent questions and treated me with respect. 

There was this one little issue though...

Due to construction, I had to park about half a mile away from the building where the interview was to take place.  No big deal.  I really don't mind walking half a mile.  However, I do hate shoes.  If you know me, you probably also know that I own one pair of heels that I wear... well... everywhere if something classier than flip flops are required.  My heels didn't really care to walk that far, but I survived.

That wasn't the issue...

Near the end of the interview, it started to rain.  Seeing as it was bright and sunny on my way in and I was listening to radio programming that promised this awful drought might last until fall, I didn't bring an umbrella with me.  OK...  let's face it.  Even if it had been raining when I got out of the car, I probably would have neglected to grab an umbrella.  I'm not really an umbrella kind of girl.

This presented a problem of sorts, however... this lack of umbrella.  It was really raining!  So upon exiting the building I did some quick talking to myself.  Should I just walk around the campus carrying my heels?  It would be faster.  Then again, I'd probably look sort of stupid.  Then again, I probably already looked sort of stupid.  I kept the shoes on.   

And then, losing all sense of direction, I proceeded to circle the building I'd just left.  Feeling beyond ridiculous at this point... and hoping against hope that no one was watching me through a window...  I headed in another direction and wished my van would appear.  It was about at this time that I realized I was the only person outside... and then the storm sirens started.  I can say, with confidence, that this was the only time in my life that I actually considered "borrowing" an unoccupied golf cart (marked as a service vehicle... and I did need service).  I did not, however, act on this whim...

I actually laughed out loud and hoped that God wasn't going to give me a sign about whether or not this job was for me with a lightning bolt for emphasis...

And I stopped long enough (after I got out from under some trees) to pull my shoes off, because now it didn't matter to me all that much how absurd this all looked.  I needed to be fast... assuming I could determine which direction to go, after all...

Eventually (and I do mean that kind of eventually that happens after you are soaked to the bone), I spotted the construction site... and the van... and put my shoes back on, because although they were sure to slow me down; I just don't think it's good protocol to walk barefoot through a construction site filled with puddles.

I think this was about the time the sirens stopped screeching.  I thought about pulling my keys out, but... well...  I still wasn't so sure about the lightning...

I got to the van... unlocked it and jumped in as quickly as possible...  pulled the stinkin' shoes off again... switched to flip flops... wiped my glasses down with Kleenex, because I sure didn't have any dry piece of clothing on my body... and just sighed.  It was a cold, wet drive home.  I mean really...  do these kinds of things happen to other people?

L.

OK...

You’ve got my attention…

I think that maybe… just maybe…  God is trying to tell me something.

I have been walking around for the past week or so… sometimes talking to myself… sometimes nearly shouting, “What is it that I’m missing?”  Don’t worry about me or anything…  I mean… not any more than usual anyway…  I’m not losing it…  Sometimes I just have to process things out loud…

So, in the midst of this, I’ve also had Jennifer Knapp’s 1998 release, “In the Name,” stuck in my head for seemingly forever, and then I think it was yesterday, I “liked” some Facebook status with Scripture in it.  It was also yesterday that I picked up, Oswald Chambers’, “My Utmost for His Highest,” for the first time in maybe… years?  And all of this culminated with Psalm 20.  To which I probably would have said something like, “well… duh…” if I’d read it a few days ago, but to which I said something more like, “oh…” today.  That might not make much of a difference to you.  That’s OK.  It made a huge difference to me.

Let me just give you the whole thing…  It’s only nine verses, and Scripture is always better in context, anyway…

Psalm 20 (NIV)

May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
    may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May he send you help from the sanctuary
    and grant you support from Zion.
May he remember all your sacrifices
    and accept your burnt offerings. Selah
May he give you the desire of your heart
    and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious
    and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the Lord grant all your requests.

Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
    he answers him from his holy heaven
    with the saving power of his right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
    but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
    but we rise up and stand firm.

O Lord, save the king!
    Answer us when we call!

And, hey, while I’m at it…  How about that song?

“In the Name”

By: Jennifer Knapp

All these years too many ahead to think clear

Some say where's my crystal ball

Some men play the lottery

Makin' bets against the government’s economy

They say I'd rather be rich than be alive at all

When men in miry circumstances fall

It won't be hard to tell where they placed their resolve

Some trust in chariots

But we trust in the name of the Lord, our God

To each his own won't lead you home

It probably never will
I won't trust in the things I do

They will not stand, and they won't come through

So I'll trust in the name of the Lord, my God

I'll trust in the name

Picket fences may build up our defenses

In domestic wars of leisure suits

That's okay, it doesn't bother me

You can hold onto your philosophy

Of what's mine is mine, what's yours is yours

But what’s the truth?

When the walls do crumble and they fall

It won't be hard to tell where we place our resolve

Some trust in chariots

But we trust in the name of the Lord, our God

To each His own won't lead you home

It probably never will
I won't trust in the things I do

They will not stand, and they won't come through

So I'll trust in the name of the Lord, my God

I'll trust in the name

When the walls do crumble

What will I find to hold on to  

That's stronger than my Jesus

Sing Hallelujah

Hallelujah

When the walls do crumble and they fall

It won't be hard to see where we place our resolve

Some trust in chariots

But we trust in the name of the Lord, our God

To each his own won't lead you home

It probably never will
I won't trust in the things I do

They will not stand, and they won't come through

So I'll trust in the name of the Lord, my God

I'll trust in the name

So, here’s the thing…

It wasn’t like I was trying or anything, but I think I tucked this whole concept far back in some corner of my mind somewhere.  I think I forgot that there is absolutely nothing I can do.  Even absolutely nothing I should do.  And believe me…  I’ve tried just about everything I could think of this week.  I’m going to laugh about this later, but did I mention I both published a book this week and broke every last bit of appropriate Pastor’s wife protocol I’ve ever known…  all while sending out more resumes and filing more applications than any normal person would ever consider at one time?  And that’s just for starters…  (And none of it was inherently bad or wrong, either, just to make that clear… in fact some of it really needed to be done… maybe all of it…  but all at once?  And I don’t even drink coffee…)

And so I breathe in… again… and I breathe out… again… And for the first time in a couple of months, I’m actually not at a loss for what to do next.  I’m not going to do anything next… except trust…

L.

Today Is The Day!

I am happy to announce that my book, "Super Just Mom," is now available for purchase!  If you enjoy my blog posts, please consider supporting me by clicking on one of the links below to buy your copy today!

Paperback:

Create Space

or

Amazon.com

Kindle Edition:

Amazon.com (Kindle Edition)

Happy Reading!

Lisa

Random Rant...

Directed at someone I don't even know... who probably wouldn't care...

GET... OUT... OF... OUR... WAY!

That is all...

L.

Meanwhile... Back At The Ranch...

Wisconsin Dells, Day 6...

We wrapped up our trip today...

After cleaning out the room (which was no small task), we used our fun passes to play lazer tag.  I think I had the best score I have ever had, but if I'm going to be honest that is partially due to the fact that this was Ian's first lazer tag game ever, and in an attempt to not lose him in the arena I followed him around most of the time... and... uh...  I shot him in the back every time his vest started glowing...

We did some souvenir shopping next and then headed to the Amtrak station to drop off Grandma and Grandpa for their long ride home...  

And then we were off to The Pizza Ranch...  one of our favorites when we are within driving distance... which isn't often.  You just can't beat the cactus bread.  And on very full tummies, we started to make our trek home.  

We had uneventful travel and pulled into the driveway a little after 11:00pm... tucked the kids in... and unloaded and unpacked much of our stuff.

What a fun trip!  At some point during our time in the Dells, Caleb exclaimed, "Grandma was right!  We needed this vacation!"  And we did...

Trip Pic of the Day:

Getting Ready to Go Home

Lisa

It Was Another Busy Day...

Wisconsin Dells, Day 5…

We spent most of the day in the water, hitting the last outdoor waterpark, “Lake Wilderness,” where we utilized the double tubes to navigate our way through a pool that was deeper than expected and enjoyed another tube slide and some more body slides.  Ian took a trip down a medium sized body slide, and the kid literally flew off the end.  Grandma caught him by the life jacket.  I don’t think he’ll be doing anything like that again anytime soon, but I am glad that he’s getting a little bit braver…  I had some fun taking underwater pictures of my “big kids”, and Phil played basketball with them at one of the pools while I chased Ian and Miah around the baby play area.

Miah really loves it here.  She has thrown the best temper tantrums ever, pretty much every time we take a life jacket off of her.  We have begun to call them “fun jackets”!  I have a feeling she will be every bit as much of an adrenaline junkie as her mommy and big sister when she gets older…

We also returned to “Klondike Kavern” today and rode the lazy river something like 10,000 times!  We played in the kids’ fort area, as well.

Waterpark #3 on the day was “New Frontier”, where Phil and Grace took a spin down both a tube slide and a body slide… because Grace challenged Daddy to ride at least one body slide while we were here!  They’re not his favorite, by any stretch of the imagination, but there’s not much he wouldn’t do for our first princess…

We took a brief respite from the water at the mirror maze, which was very fun and extremely funny…  We literally could not distinguish between the real people in our party and the reflections at times.  I ran into myself on more than one occasion…

After returning to the room, Phil, Seth, Grace, Caleb, and I headed out to the “Lost World” park to make sure we made it to a few last attractions.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that the dual layer lazy river actually has a ramp that you can ride up!  Earlier in the trip it wasn’t running, but Caleb tried to get on it anyway.  We thought it was only for tubes and teased him about this, but the truth is… people can ride the tubes right up the ramp.  We had to take part in this novelty, of course.  I had promised Grace that I would race down the mat slides with her at some point, so this was the time.  It was far less than fun for me, because I started sucking water up my nose within moments of pushing myself down the slide.  I am rather shocked that I didn’t drown.  I did win the race though… even though Caleb insists that I was second.  (A lifeguard shoved him down the slide on the count of 3, but made the rest of us wait until he’d counted all the way down, so Caleb was actually feeling bad for “cheating,” but the truth is, he didn’t win anyway…  I didn’t bother to tell him that…) Grace was the only one of us willing to try the slides with the bottoms that drop out.  Unfortunately (for her), she didn’t weigh enough to ride the looping slide, but she did ride the vertical one, which was enough to just about give the rest of us heart attacks just watching her.  In typical Grace fashion, she did her earsplitting scream all the way down and then jumped off and exclaimed that, “IT… WAS… AWESOME!”

Dinner time… followed by TV time… followed by bedtime for the kids…

Phil has done an excellent job repacking our stuff, and we’re gearing up to get out of here tomorrow…

Lisa

Trip Pics. of the Day:

Hanging Out in the Cold Jet Pool

 Underwater Adventures

Golfing, Playing, Climbing, and Sliding…

Wisconsin Dells, Day 4...

We actually spent the morning doing “dry” things, which was a plus.  We played two separate indoor mini golf courses, which turned out fun… perhaps especially for Ian who thinks he won, because he had the highest score!  We also climbed around in the indoor play area, which was great because it was huge and adults were allowed to play with their kids!  I am having second thoughts, at the end of the day, regarding my decision to go down one of the slides, but I think I’ll recover…

After really wanting to try the high ropes course, myself, I had my doubts when I got up there with Ian, and he started to panic.  In the end, it turned out alright, but it was sure a lot of work, because I had to basically support Ian’s weight through the whole course, because he was afraid for me to let go of him.  I really loved doing it, but I simultaneously kept thinking, “This is probably the worst thing I have ever done for fun on a vacation!”  We were supposed to have 30 minutes on the course, and at some point Grace found me and said, “Mom… this has been the longest 30 minutes of my life!”  Since I agreed with her, I started looking for a clock and found that we had actually been working our way through the rafters for about 35 minutes… which would explain both the feeling that we had been up there for too long and the exhaustion!

We decided to sit down for ice cream (well… technically I had rainbow sherbet… yum…) while Phil took his turn on the ropes course with Seth and Caleb.  This was an excellent choice, both because the ice cream was super good and because we found free water… which might seem like a silly thing to rejoice over in a waterpark, but we were sure thirsty! 

We went back to the room for dinner… spaghetti… and then headed right back out again for some more waterpark fun…

We enjoyed the “New Frontier” outdoor waterpark and then returned to the “Wild Waterdome”, where we splashed around in the wave pool and rode the family raft ride again.  Phil, Seth, Grace, and Caleb actually rode it again… and again… and again… (3 times)!  

Perhaps the only moment I would rather not relive was when I almost lost my swim shorts… twice… in the wave pool!  In case there was ever any question, I would definitively risk public humiliation before sacrificing my youngest three children to the waves.  And just in case you ever wondered…  it is a real challenge to hold on to the straps of your two year old’s life jacket and the handle of a raft with your five and eight year olds in it!  I honestly thought my right elbow was going to come out of its socket with the weight of those boys!  It was worth it, though, because this afforded Phil the opportunity to send Grace crashing through the waves.

I feel like my trip stories are lacking the excitement that they usually have, but we really are having an excellent time… I’m just beat at the end of every night!

Lisa

Trip Pic. of the Day:

 Finishing Up the Ropes Course!